6 Ways to Avoid Styrene Foam, Skip Cancer

If you’re still getting coffee to go in a styrene foam cup, or take-out food in a foam carton, I have one word for you:

STOP.

The icky white, foam-like material used in both coffee cups and carry-out boxes is made from styrene, a chemical fingered by the National Institutes of Health because it could cause cancer. How?

Studies conducted in laboratories suggest that exposure to styrene damages white blood cells, increasing the risk of contracting leukemia or lymphoma. Additional research suggests that exposure to styrene may raise the likelihood of pancreatic cancer or cancer of the esophagus among workers who either manufacture styrene or products that contain styrene.

Styrene foam is bad news for the planet, too. It takes a good 500 years to degrade. And in the meantime, it breaks into smaller and smaller pieces made of toxic oil-based polymers that pollute soil and water and may be consumed by birds, fish and other animals. Because it is so light, styrene foam is easily blown about, creating unsightly litter. Plus, styrene foam that has been used for drinks or food is not recyclable. Some packaging shops may accept foam packing peanuts for re-use, but no one is going to take a used coffee-stained foam cup.

Here’s How You Can Avoid Styrene Foam

1) Use your own reusable water bottle or coffee mug. Pretty much every truck stop, fast-food joint, and roadside stand I’ve ever been at has been happy to put my tea or coffee in my own mug rather than in one of their foam cups.
Be prepared when you travel by air. Most airlines still serve hot beverages in foam cups. Make sure you pack your reusable mug in your carry-on bag and pull it out when you take your seat so you can easily hand it to the flight attendant when food service gets underway.

2) Skip vending machines that dispense hot coffee, tea, chocolate or soup in a foam cup. The same goes for vending machines and carry-out restaurants that serve hot soup in a foam cup.

3) If you’re throwing a party, use reusables, or even paper products, rather than foam. You can get heavy-duty paper cups for hot drinks and paper plates instead of foam. What I’ve done over the years is invest in reusable cups, plates, cutlery and napkins. I can now accommodate up to 40 people if necessary without having to buy a single foam or throwaway cup.

4) BYOC – If you want to take left-overs home from a restaurant, bring your own containers with tight-fitting lids. Alternatively, ask your server to wrap your leftovers in aluminum foil rather than foam.

5) Avoid instant food like ramen noodles and some soups that come in a foam bowl that you’re supposed to microwave to heat up. The last thing you want to do is eat food that could be contaminated by toxins that leak out of styrene when it’s microwaved.

6) Think ahead.The reason why we consume so much food out of foam containers is that we’re not in the habit of bringing our own safer alternatives. You have gotten used to taking your own shopping bags to the grocery store, right? Make it routine to bring your own cup, mug, or reusable doggie bag.

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About Diane

Diane MacEachern is a mother of two kids, best-selling author and award-winning entrepreneur with a Master of Science degree in Natural Resources and the Environment. She founded Big Green Purse because she is passionate about sharing her experience and expertise with anyone who wants to live green and save money doing it.